


You're Always On My Mind

by NoGoodTuna



Category: Granblue Fantasy (Video Game)
Genre: Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, M/M, Male Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-04
Updated: 2018-01-04
Packaged: 2019-02-28 03:52:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13263081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoGoodTuna/pseuds/NoGoodTuna
Summary: Team Chickadee is tasked with writing a letter to their loved ones informing them of their successful passing of the knights recruitment procedures. What should be an easy task proves to be challenging for Henry. Every time he tries to focus on writing, one of his idiotic associates comes to mind. Henry, growing tired, reflects on his life, and the lives of those around him, and how he can perhaps, complete this simple task.~~~A down to Earth rarepair short~~~





	You're Always On My Mind

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. I love Henry and kind of wish he got more love. I also love Arthur and ship them together. I love those type of relationships a lot. 
> 
> Internet friends get together and we do writing prompts with word limits every two weeks. For this theme, I decided to focus on Arthur and Henry. The original word limit was 1500 words but I added a few more words as I wanted it to really reach my vision of it. 
> 
> I love it. 
> 
> Thanks.

Henry leaned back on the legs of the chair as he stared at the blank sheet of parchment on his desk. The feather pen lay flat, its ink starting to dry. He sighed as he rubbed his temples hopeful that it would help him gather his thoughts. What was supposed to be a simple letter to his family was becoming a monumental task. Passing the knight’s recruitment exam was supposed to be a joyous occasion, but now, here he was, unable to put those feelings into words.

He looked to the ceiling hoping the words would fly from somewhere. He groaned loudly as he rocked back and forth on the chair. Nothing relevant was coming to him, no nothing he wanted to write about was coming to him. Anytime he thought of writing, his mind flashed back to the two country bumpkins he met, and who were, unfortunately, largely the reason for his being here. He shook his head as he pushed the thoughts of those two out his head.

He focused on the picture frame on his desk. In it, his nine-year old self smiled merrily as he held the hands of his father and grandfather. They wore their Feendrache plate armour proudly. He could recall telling them afterwards that he wanted to be just like them, to be a proud knight fighting for the peace and protection of their kingdom. He would become their successor, fighting whatever gruesome and cruel monsters could befall their kingdom, singlehandedly slaying dragons, vanquishing all sorts of otherworldly creatures, and righting the wrongs of evildoers. As he happily proclaimed all the amazing accomplishments he’d make as a knight, they patted his head and ruffled his hair, casting him jovial smiles and offering empty words of encouragement. It was only now, as he thought of it, that they were the same type of words you say to any kid who aspires to be something bigger than themselves and often unrealistic, like a pirate or an explorer.

Henry sighed as he balanced himself on the legs of the chair. It was only now that he realized that which it took to be a knight. Who knew that passing the recruits exam for a spot in the Order of the White Dragons would require confronting his fears. The mere memory of that frightful experience, of being immobilized in the face of countless hordes of otherworldly creatures, of being nearly about to feint from the sight of so many injured knights, caused him to lose his balance, and sent him tumbling backwards onto the floor. The chair clattered loudly as he quickly gripped the back of his head, rolling around while seething in pain.

Frantic knocking on his wall caused him to stop rolling. He quieted as he heard the muffled voice of his neighbor. “Henry!?” He sounded frantic as he yelled his name. “Are you alright, we’re coming!”

“Arthur!” Henry heard the other boy’s voice, Mordred, Arthur’s close companion and roommate. He sounded critical, reprimanding Arthur for yelling so loudly in the morning. Arthur whimpered as he stomped away from the wall.

Henry ignored them. He felt agitated, angered even, that those two idiots would somehow need to worry about him. Never in a million years would he accept help from such nincompoops. He quickly stood to his feet, picked up the chair and returned to his letter. He gripped the feather pen, dipped it in the ink, and placed it over the parchment. Every time he made a motion to write something, he hesitated.  His hand, no perhaps his body, would not betray his heart. His mind on the other hand wanted to write to his folks that he passed on his own accord and with flying colors. His heart though, all it could see was Arthur and his idiotic smile…

Knocking on the door brought him out of his thoughts.

“Henry? You okay in there?” Arthur’s voice came out panicked as he frantically knocked.

Henry hesitated. Maybe if he ignored him he would go away?

“Henry, I’m, I’m coming in.” Arthur turned the doorknob quickly rushing in.

“Get out!” Henry yelled, standing quickly.

“Why, I was just worried…when you didn’t answer I thought…” Arthur grabbed Henry’s arm examining it as he noticed a bruise. Worry was all over his face. Henry quickly jerked his arm out of his grasp as he stepped back.

Henry momentarily looked at his arm. His mouth quivered as he struggled to come up with words.  He felt a mix of gratitude that Arthur showed him concern, but also a feeling of disgust that it had to be him. He wasn’t that pathetic that he needed help.

“Go, get back,” Henry said rather meekly.

Arthur looked back at his arm. “But.”

Henry pointed to the door. “Go!” He yelled much stronger and forcefully.

“See,” the other boy, Mordred spoke from the doorway. “He wants nothing to do with us. It’s clear he’s comfortable being alone within these four walls.”

“Huh?” Henry gave him a disgusted glance. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Mordred snickered. “It’s exactly what it means, you just like being here all alone in this room. You and these three empty bunks.”

Henry only clicked his tongue as he turned his back to them. It’s not like it was his fault he was left alone in the room. The others were simply too dumb to pass the exam.

“Guy’s apologize.” Henry turned and tugged Mordred’s arm. “You don’t have to be so mean. We’ve all passed the exam together…so we should at least be friendly with each other.”

Mordred’s expression softened.

Henry spoke dryly, hoping to be patronizing.  “Unlike some of us, I’m not here to make friends and I’m for sure not apologizing for anything. You guys barged into my room, made this commotion, and disturbed my peace.”

Mordred’s expression hardened as he spoke to Arthur. “Well I’m not apologizing either. If anything, he should be grateful that we took time out of our morning to talk to him. It’s not like he has any friends or anything.” And with that Mordred walked out of the room.

“Mordred,” Arthur yelled as he followed. Before he left the room, he glanced at Henry with a bit of concern. Henry sarcastically waved a goodbye and smirked in response.

Henry ignored the muffled talking he heard from his neighbors as he focused on the letter. The brief distraction did little to help him in his quest to write. If anything, it made it harder as now, all he could think about was Arthur again. He tightly gripped the pen as he realized that he wouldn’t even have to write this dumb letter if it hadn’t been for him and his meddling.

Henry thought back to their time in the cave on their mountain expedition a few days ago. What was supposed to be a simple distracting prank and discussion turned into a massive ordeal. Undead rose to life spooking Henry so much that he wanted to flee. However, following the aftermath of Arthur’s rallying cry to his friends, an inspiration message that got them fired up, making them breakthrough their fears, empowering them to rush to action to tend to the wounded soldiers, and urging them to fight back against the army of the undead, Henry began to realize that perhaps Arthur was the proverbial knight he had heard so much about.

Arthur’s almost selfless acts of only added to Henry’s feelings. He was there when Arthur pleaded to the Team Chikadee leader begging him to make Henry an honorary member of their team. Henry was taken aback, why would he do something like that? Why would he care for his wellbeing? He was fine being the lone man remaining on his team, his own teammates were worthless, falling to their knees in fear. They were beneath him. Heh, Arthur was too, but then Arthur showed this profound ability to smile through anything and to push through anything even if all hope was lost, he managed to make a way out of no way. To that, Henry found himself unable to protest Arthurs pleas.

He was supposed to feel envious of Arthur, or even jealous of his ability to take lead in many situations, but instead, he was feeling something else, something indescribable. Was it admiration? Or something else. What is it about Arthur that made him such an enigma and such a person who he couldn’t get out his mind. He wasn’t like all the other idiots. Ack, he dropped the pen and scratched his ears furiously. Why was this so hard, why was Arthur so hard to figure out?!

Knocking at the door spooked him causing him to almost jump on top of the chair frightened. He laughed it off as he heard Arthur whispering. “Henry, I’m coming in, and I won’t accept no for an answer.”

“What are you here for?” Henry asked as he stood, grip loosening on the chair.

Arthur scratched his head. “Uhm.”

“If you’ve got nothing to say then go away, as you can see I’m busy with this letter,” Henry waved towards it, though quickly ran to jump in front of it hoping Arthur didn’t see it.

“I kind of saw,” Arthur coughed as he spoke up while avoiding eye contact. “Earlier, that you didn’t have anything written. I can…”

“No, absolutely not, I don’t need your help.”

“Yes, yes you do. Mordred and I finished ours already,” Arthur stood next to the desk as he looked to Henry.  He smiled sweetly and brightly. “Like I said, I’m not taking no for an answer. I’ll stay until you finish.”

“I don’t,” Henry struggled to remain firm. He had to say no, he couldn’t give in again to Arthur. Though that smile, it was so hard to resist. It was like the image he kept seeing in his mind whenever he tried to write. It was that idiotic yet confident smile that made him always falter and made him, very nearly, feel like he was what it meant to be a knight.

“Fine,” Henry gave in, he could use this momentary closeness to finally see what made Arthur tick. Arthur beamed clearly giddy in happiness. “But don’t get the wrong idea, it’s not like this letter will write itself, and I can only see you when I write,” Henry’s voice grew soft as he took a seat. “Why are you doing this, and to me?”

“Because,” Arthur beamed. “I’m your friend. It’s, it’s what friends do.”

“We’re not friends.”

“Oh, come now, don’t be like that.” Arthur giggled.  “The way I see it, you could really use a friend.”

Henry huffed. “I’ll have you know, I have plenty of friends. They just uhm, no one wanted to become a knight. Yes, that’s right, they wanted to do other things.” Henry chuckled nervously.

“Right, right,” Arthur rolled his eyes. “I know, how about this. Starting now, you can make new friends. You need knight friends, so I’ll be your first friend,” Arthur said happily. “Think of it as a new beginning. You can start over. I’ll ignore all the silly rotten and mean things you said to me and Mordred.”

“I apologized for that already. And fine.” Henry warmed up slightly.

“See!” Arthur, without even batting an eye, grasped and clasped Henry’s hand excitedly.

“Let go of me!” Henry said as if offended, however he didn’t even attempt to pull away. He was surprised, stunned as it was the first time, someone ever wanted him as a friend.

“And now, you have something to write home about. Write about how you found a friend who helped you become a knight!”

As Henry turned back to the parchment, hand’s finally free, he found that the words he wanted to say came much clearer now. Everything flowed easily as the face of the boy that was always on his mind sat and watched him eagerly. It was calming and reassuring and inspiring. He smiled to himself as he realized maybe there was something good about this happy go lucky idiot.


End file.
